Secrets Of The Old Chest
by Kristie Goldberg
Summary: Seven years Post-Endgame. Kathryn and Gretchen have been missing for long time. Most people believe they're dead. Chakotay doesn't believe it. He begins searching for them. There are 4 parts to this story. I wrote this years ago, and I have completely re-done it into what I feel is a better story
1. Chapter 1

Secrets of the Old Chest Part 1

In the attic of the old house, Chakotay came across a huge chest. It was one of several items that had been left there. As he looked at it, he wondered how long it had been there. It looked like an old seamen's chest from the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, but it may have just been made to look that way. There was a padlock on it. Trying to move the chest, he found that it was heavy. He was curious as to what it contained. The top was covered in dust. He used his sleeve to wipe off the dust. Carved in the top was the name 'Kathryn Kiernan Janeway'. His heart constricted. Could it really be hers? Were some of her things in it? He had to find out.

Returning downstairs, he replicated a lock cutter. Before going back to the attic, he grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler as well. The attic was hot, and he would need something to drink if he was there very long. He wondered what was in the chest. Knowing he would soon find out, he smiled. Perhaps there might be a clue in the chest, a treasure map of sorts! He could only wish.

Cutting off the lock did not take long. He felt apprehension as he raised the lid. He saw the box contained a huge pile of papers and trinkets. He lifted them out of the box, arranging them in order. He would start from the bottom as they should be the oldest. He would read the top items last. He felt that he could get through them in just a few evenings. He had no clue when the last of the items had been placed in the box. He hoped that some might have been placed there after their return to the Alpha Quadrant. He leaned back against the wall of the attic to rest. He was thinking about the house and how lucky he had been to acquire it.

Sam Wildman had given him a call. Her sister had told Sam that the Janeway homestead was up for sale. Distant relatives were selling it cheap, just to get it off their hands. They didn't want it as they lived off world. Sam gave him a contact person, Rick Richardson, who lived in Bloomington, Indiana. Rick was a lawyer for the Janeway family. He gave Chakotay what information he could, basically what Chakotay already knew. Phoebe Janeway had been killed in a freak ski accident during the fifth year of Voyager's journey. The home had been sitting empty for the last seven years since Kathryn and her mother had disappeared. That happened just a few months after Voyager's return to the Alpha Quadrant. The rest of the family had no idea where they were. The family had removed most of the furniture, selling off much of it. Only the dining room furniture and a huge desk in the study were being sold with the house. When Rick told Chakotay the price, Chakotay immediately made an offer which was within reason. The family accepted the offer. They didn't even bother to counter offer. In just a few weeks, the home and property was his.

The desk in the study sat next to the transport pad that Admiral Janeway had installed years ago. Chakotay had gone though the desk his first day in the house. He had hoped that perhaps Kathryn had left a padd or some clue that would tell him where they were. There was nothing left in the desk. He moved it out from the wall, but nothing had dropped behind it.

B'Elanna thought Chakotay was crazy trying to hold on to memories of Kathryn, and she didn't hesitate to tell him. Even so, she and Tom where the ones to help him settle into the house. They brought over, from his apartment, what little furniture he had. He decided to furnish the rest of the house one room at a time.

He thought maybe he'd find in the chest pictures of how the inside of the house had been decorated. He also hoped he would find some clues to where Kathryn and her mother might be. Some thought that they were dead. Chakotay was convinced that they were alive and here on Earth somewhere. He couldn't bare the thought of his Kathryn being dead!

After he had removed everything from the chest, he took the pile that had been on the bottom downstairs. There was a lot to go through. He would go through them at the dining room table. _We had this huge dining room table at home. I often sat at it and did my homework. It was a beautiful cherry wood and had been in our family over three hundred years. _

The very bottom item had been a small metal box. It was only about four inches high. It was fairly long and wide. As he opened it, he smiled seeing what was inside. This box represented newborn Kathryn. He took out a small picture of a tiny baby with a lot of hair. Turning it over, he read 'Kathryn Kiernan Janeway, age 1 hour'. He remembered her talking about this picture. Y_ou should see my baby picture, Chakotay! Even when I was born, I had a full head of hair. I also had full cheeks. Looked kind of like a chipmunk! _He didn't think she resembled a chipmunk. She was a beautiful baby! Next was a wrist band for a newborn. On it was printed 'Janeway, Kathryn Kiernan; 05/20/2436; 5lbs. 2ozs. There was a hospital card that had the same info as well as: Born to Janeway, Captain Edward and Dr. Gretchen' He smiled at how she was a tiny little thing. She never did get really big, although she always seemed bigger than life when facing enemies!

There was a bag with a drawstring at the top. He opened it and dumped the contents into the palm of his hand. The bag held baby teeth along with a note which gave each date one of the little teeth came out. He wondered if Kathryn had believed in the tooth fairy. He then picked up a small plastic case which contained a lock of her hair cut when she was born, according to a small note inside. There were several old-fashioned cards congratulating the new parents on the birth of their first born. Pictures of a very tiny Kathryn with various family members came next. Each picture was labeled with the names of the people in it, the date and a brief description of where the picture was taken. He looked at those carefully before he set them aside.

Next he saw a plaque made of some kind of plaster with two small hand prints in the middle. Around the edge was the name Kathryn and age 3. Her hands weren't much bigger than that now. He remembered how his own hand had engulfed hers when they held hands. Her hands were small but strong.

There were several awards which she had won, even at a young age. He pulled out an interesting one. It read 'Little Miss 2439 Kathryn Kiernan Janeway' Attached was a picture of a beautiful three year old wearing a crown and looking regal. He had seen her look that way many times.

At age five, she had been a flower girl at a couple's wedding. He imagined it was an older cousin and her husband. The writing on the back of the pictures read, 'Rachel Janeway and John Dalton'. Kathryn looked like a little princess wearing a long blue dress, carrying a basket of white rose petals. She had some flowers in her hair. You could already tell she was going to be a beauty.

There were several pictures taken, at ages five and six, of Kathryn in various ballerina outfits. _When I first started taking ballet lessons, I wanted to be a ballerina. I loved everything about it. I use to do way more than the Dying Swan! Someday, Chakotay, I will dance just for you._

There were no more items in the pile that he had brought down, no clues at all! Looking at them had been a pleasant way to spend the evening. Chakotay knew that when he slept he would dream about being with Kathryn. They would have a little girl just like the one in the pictures he had just seen. Tomorrow he would continue his quest, but tonight he needed sleep.

The next morning, he ate breakfast as usual. While he ate, he again looked over the things from the night before. He knew he had to find her. He had to bring her home. This place was where Kathryn belonged.

After he cleaned up from breakfast and dressed, he went for his morning run. Actually it was a half walk, half run kind of thing. He always took the same route around the property, stopping at the old tree next to the stream. He loved the tree because he knew how much Kathryn loved it as well. She use to call it her thinking tree.

He stopped as usual at the tree. He climbed up onto his favorite limb. He had a feeling it was Kathryn's favorite limb as well. It was a perfect hiding spot. He could see all around between the leaves but not be seen by others. He rested there awhile just thinking of her. _In Indiana there was this tree on our property in the back by the stream. I always called it my thinking tree. I often went there. Sometimes I would go there to just think about my life. Sometimes I would go just to get away from Phoebe. She could be a pest! I often took a padd to read. I would climb up to my favorite limb, hidden by all the leaves. I spent many wonderful hours in that tree! I hope it will still be there when we get back._

Once he got back to the house, he took a quick shower and made a few calls. He had the summer off from teaching at the Academy. The long summer break was a nice perk for teachers.

After making the calls, he brought down the next pile of papers and items from the attic. There were many more pictures of her alone and with family members. She looked happy and carefree. He loved the pictures that showed her when she was missing her front teeth. Without seeing the pictures, it would have been hard for him to imagine her that way. Even without her front teeth, she looked cute! He laughed to himself. Cute was never a word he would have used to describe her in the past - beautiful, classy, elegant and on and on, just not cute!

Along with the pictures and the abundant school awards was a padd. He opened it and found it to be a diary. The first entries were written by a very young Kathryn. He laid it back down and went over the rest of the items in the pile. Some of the pictures made him smile. A few made him laugh out loud.

Before he picked up the padd again, he got some ice tea from the kitchen. Taking the padd and the tea, he headed for the patio. Sitting in his favorite lounge chair, he began to read the padd. He told himself that he wasn't prying into her private life. He was just trying to find clues to her whereabouts. Kathryn wrote about her frustrations over having a younger sister. She felt that her mother had little time to spend with her.

She wrote about her father being away so often. She missed him when he was gone. She wrote about some of her happiest moments with him. He called her Goldenbird. She absolutely adored him. Kathryn did every thing she could to please her father. Chakotay wondered briefly if Admiral Janeway deserved the adoration he got from Kathryn. She told about hiding under her father's desk as a small child. She spoke of how she always surprised him with what she had learned. _He would question me about what I had learned. If he was pleased, I was rewarded with a trip to the cornfields. We walked hand in hand while Daddy told me stories. Often we acted them out as we went. I will never forget those times we had together. _

She had been in the third grade play. She played Dorothy in, "The Wizard of Oz". She had been excited over winning the part over the others girls. When she auditioned, she already knew all the lines that Dorothy had. Mr. Randolph, the drama teacher, was delighted. The night the play was presented to the families, hers sat front row center. She played the part perfectly. She could see the pride showing on both her parents' faces.

That was the same year that she began tennis lessons. She hadn't wanted to play. She wanted to play Parrises Squares, which she was very good at playing. At first she couldn't hit the tennis ball across the net. She went home and complained to her mother. Her mom told her she had to play anyway. _I never wanted to play tennis, Chakotay. I hated it at first. Finally, I made up my mind that I would learn, and I became very good at it. Still, I wanted to play Parrises Squares._

About the same time, he father allowed her to go with him to Mars. It was her first trip off-world. She enjoyed the trip very much as it was very educational for her. It was the first time that she told her father that she wanted to be in Starfleet. _I have wanted to be in Starfleet since I was a little girl, Chakotay. The first time I went to Mars, I knew then it was what I wanted. How about you?_

The following year the family took a vacation. This time, they did not go off world, but to a place called Oaxaca, Mexico. Kathryn thought that it was a beautiful place. It had a lot of things for kids to do. They spent two weeks there, and she cried when they had to leave.

That was all that was written on the padd which was labeled "Padd 1". He made a mental note to check out Oaxaca once he had read through all the information. He would note any places she may have visited that held her interest. Then he would check them all out one after the other.

Chakotay went back inside to the replicator and replicated something to eat. He realized that Kathryn had told him a lot about her life after all. She was just another normal child. He took his food back out to the patio to eat as he watched the setting sun. He wondered were she was and if she was alright. He tried to picture what she might look like now. He finally went in to bed as he was extremely tired. It had been a long day, but one that was good. He had learned more about Kathryn. He knew his dreams would be of her. They always were. He loved her more than anything. He vowed silently that he would find her if it took the rest of his life.

The next morning, he headed out for his run stopping by Kathryn's old thinking tree. He had grown to love the tree as well. It was a beautiful tree with its long branches gracefully stretched slightly toward the sky. As he sat on his favorite limb, he wondered at all the secrets the old tree held. Finally he headed back to the house. As he approached the house, he saw an older man walking around the house to the back door. He ran a little faster as he didn't want the man to leave. Arriving out of breath, he saw that the man had sat down on the back porch to wait for him.

When Chakotay walked up to the porch, the man introduced himself as Thomas Jordan, a neighbor and old friend of Edward and Gretchen Janeway. Chakotay invited him into the kitchen for a drink. Thomas slowly rose from the porch and followed Chakotay into the house. He sat at the kitchen table and waited quietly while Chakotay got them some lemonade.

"The kitchen seems kind of lonely without Gretchen in it! She was always in here doing something. Didn't like replicators. Liked to make everything from scratch. My Margaret use to do that up until she died last year."

"I take it, you knew the Janeways well."

"You could say that. Us Jordans have lived in the big brick house down the road for over three hundred years. I knew Edward all my life. He was a good man, well liked. But, he could be tough when he needed to be. Someone in town said that you were a friend of Kathryn's. You're one of the guys that was out in that other quadrant with her. Aren't you?"

"Yes, we were together out there."

"Thought I recognized that tattoo of yours. People around here don't usually wear them. How come you decided to buy this house? I hope you don't mind my asking."

"Kathryn and I were very close. When I found out she was missing, I tried to find her. I still don't believe she is dead. I bought the house for her. When she returns, it will be here for her."

"You loved her. Didn't you? You still do."

"Yes, I still love her. I guess I always will." Chakotay smiled thinking of her.

"I can understand. She's quite a woman. So is Gretchen. I believe that they both are out there somewhere. I just have no idea where."

"Do you know on any place they use to go that they preferred over anywhere else?" Chakotay asked.

"Can't say I do. Well, they spent a lot of time up at Lake George. Use to go to Ireland a lot. They had distant relatives there. Went to Mexico at least once a year. Gretchen liked it there. A couple of summers, Gretchen and my Margaret took our kids to Hawaii. That's about all I remember. If I think of any other places, I'll let you know. I have to get back now. I usually get a call from my older son out at Jupiter Station around 10:30. One last thing before I forget it. I bought a couple of pieces of Gretchen's furniture from some of her relatives. I have them at my house. If you want them, they're yours. I just couldn't see anyone else having Gretchen's things. There is an old grandfather clock and an umbrella stand. Gretchen had both of them in the entry. I also have her kitchen table and chairs. I can have my grandson drop them off later today if you want."

"That would be great. I will pay you for them."

"Nope. You don't owe me anything. Just find Kathryn and Gretchen. That will be reward enough!"

Chakotay walked with Thomas to the front of the house. They shook hands. Thomas invited him for a visit anytime. Chakotay knew that they would become good friends. He liked Thomas right away.

After Thomas left, Chakotay headed up the stairs to clean up. He had to go into town to get a few things. He would use the hover car as he had a few heavy things to bring back. Later he would begin working on the next pile of papers.

Chakotay got back from town much later than he planned. He had forgotten to eat breakfast, so he had lunch in town at a little café called Palutes. As he sat there eating, he thought of Kathryn. _Sometimes during the summer, I would go into town. I always stopped in this little café called Palutes for lunch. It was such a treat having replicated food. I hated the fact that my mother made everything from scratch. I wanted to be like the other kids._

Arriving home, Chakotay saw the furniture setting on the back porch that Thomas' grandson brought over. He was sorry that he missed the boy. He got the furniture in through the wide double patio doors without any trouble.

He put the grandfather clock and the umbrella stand in the entry. He guessed where they had gone before. He had a feeling that he had guessed correctly because they seemed to look right where he placed them.

He removed the old table and chairs that he had in the kitchen. He put them on the patio. Later he would take them to the shed out back.

Gretchen's table and chairs were much nicer. The round table and chairs were made of a golden oak that had a fine sheen from the years of polishing and cleaning. It was a beautiful set which he guessed to be about three hundred years old. He ran his hand over the back of one of the chairs admiring the craftsmanship. He always enjoyed things that were well crafted, and the kitchen set was a perfect example. It was as well made as the dining table that had been left in the dining room.

Much later he went out on the patio and took his old table and chairs to the shed out back. As he placed them there, he looked around. It had been empty when he moved in. Now it held various tools that he had purchased to work in the yard. _We had this shed behind our house. Mom and dad kept gardening tools in it. One day I was hiding from Phoebe. She knew I was in there so she locked the door. I had to climb on a box and get out through the window. I decided to jump down from the window. It wasn't very far. I landed wrong and broke my ankle. I was angry with her for days._ He looked up at the window and could almost see her standing on a box trying to get out.

Back in the house, he went to the attic to get the next pile of items. He didn't plan on working on them. The pile ready for the next day. He had taken too long in town and then with moving the furniture, he had lost time as well. He had promised B'Elanna that he would be at their home later for dinner.

As soon as he was ready, he went into the study. He was thankful that the transporter pad had been left there. He set it for the correct coordinates and transported to the transporter station closest to the Paris' home. Walking to their home, he saw that a gift shop was still open. He stopped in and got a toy eagle for Miral and a toy horse for little Owen. He couldn't believe how much Miral had grown. Kathryn would be surprised that at seven years of age, Miral was nearly as tall as B'Elanna.

Arriving at the house, he rang the chime. Immediately the door was thrown open.

"Uncle Chakotay" yelled Miral as she threw herself into his arms.

Suddenly he felt little arms wrapping around his leg. Looking down he saw Owen trying to hug his leg. He bent and picked up Owen and taking Miral's hand walked into the house. Once inside he gave them each their presents. Both were thrilled at his selection, and he smiled happily at them. He found B'Elanna in the kitchen cooking dinner. They hugged tightly.

"Where is Tom hiding out?"

"He is taking a shower. He worked late today." B'Elanna said as she handed him a bowl and motioned over to the table where there was items for a salad. "Would you put the salad together? I would have this done already if Tom had been on time."

Later after dinner, Tom took the kids up and put them to bed. Miral wanted to stay up, but B'Elanna reminded her that her junior scouting group was going on a field trip the next day. Miral reluctantly went to bed. When Tom returned, they began catching up on gossip.

"Did you know that Megan Delany and Ken Dalby are expecting twins? Megan will have her hands full. Johnny is only two and Kenny is four. They are a handful enough without two more!"  
B'Elanna was still amazed that Megan and Ken had gotten married.

"Mike Ayala stopped by the house the other day. Looks like there is going to be a wedding soon. He got reacquainted with an old girl friend back home. Said it was time to settle down again. I'm happy for him. He hasn't looked that good in years." Chakotay told them.

After all the gossip about the crew had been told, B'Elanna asked Chakotay how things were going. He told them about the old chest and what he had found. He also told them about Thomas and the furniture.

Tom shook his head, "I think you need to let her go. I doubt if she is alive. She would have contacted us sooner or later."

"I can't let her go, Tom. I still love her. Even after all these years, Kathryn is the other half of my soul. I will search either until I find her or until I die. There has to be a reason why she hasn't come home. I intend to find out why. I just can't believe she is dead. Not Kathryn!"

Tom and B'Elanna looked sadly at each other. They knew that he wouldn't change his mind. He had loved Kathryn almost from the moment they met in the Delta Quadrant. Those last several months on Voyager, when Kathryn and Chakotay had finally become a couple, were the happiest they had ever seen the command team.

Chakotay didn't stay much longer. He knew they would have to get up early. Tom had to be at Starfleet early. B'Elanna had to drop Miral off by the junior scouting group leader. Then she would take Owen to the nursery at Starfleet where she worked only part time hours.

Walking back to the transporter station, he vowed that when he found Kathryn, they would have a family like the Paris family. Tom was a good husband and father. Chakotay was pleased as B'Elanna had always been like a sister to him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Arriving home, Chakotay went straight to bed, but he couldn't sleep. Finally he sat up in bed and picked up the picture from his nightstand. It was of Kathryn and him. The doctor had taken it at one of the welcome home parties for the crew. Kathryn was wearing a long blue dress which matched her eyes. The dress had tiny straps. She wore her hair up with tiny tendrils of hair curling around her face. She looked radiant. He had on a black tuxedo and a white ruffled shirt. His cummerbund and tie matched her dress. He sat back against the headboard holding the picture. He thought back to when they had finally become a couple. He remembered it as clearly at though it were only yesterday.

…It had been one of those long boring days on the bridge. Not a single planet, nebula or anything else for that matter, in sight. They had talked about the upcoming Talent Night as well as Neelix's latest use of Leola root. Finally they began talking about their favorite foods. Tom told them his favorite food was pizza with peanut butter on it. Kathryn had turned to look at Chakotay, unable to hold back her laugh.

"Really, Tom, don't you ever eat normal food?" Kathryn could just about imagine some of his concoctions. She shook her head at the thought.

"Sure, I ate a lot of normal food in the past, but most of it wasn't a favorite. You should try pizza and peanut butter sometime. You just don't know what you are missing!" Tom grinned.

"I think I will skip that one. Harry, what about you?" Kathryn turned to him with a smile.

"That's easy. My favorite food is Szechwan chicken. It is sliced chicken with broccoli, snow peas, red peppers, baby corn, and straw mushrooms in a hot brown sauce. Mom always served it over fried rice. Sometimes when I think about it, I can almost smell it. When we get home, that is the first thing I am going to have her make. I'll have her make you some if you like, Captain."

"I would like that, Harry. It certainly sounds better than pizza with peanut butter." She looked pointedly at the back of Tom's head. She could see his shoulders moving. More than likely he had been putting them on! You could never tell about Tom!

Chakotay sat in his chair amused. He could tell Kathryn was having a good time. She always enjoyed talking 'non-work' things with the crew. He liked it, too, because then she was definitely Kathryn, with a wonderful sense of humor. Then she wasn't Captain Janeway, bogged down with a heavy burden. She had been letting the 'Kathryn' side show more and more. He often saw her in the mess hall or Sandrine's sitting among the crew talking and laughing. He was lost in thought, when she leaned over to speak with him.

"Chakotay, I was just... Chakotay, are you here?"

He couldn't pass this one up. " No. I left an hour ago!" She laughed that deep throaty laugh of hers and laid her hand on his arm.

"How about dinner tonight in my quarters, Chakotay?"

"Are you cooking?"

"Of course not. You are! I'm no fool! I will do my cooking later!"

He raised an eyebrow at that statement, "What time do you want me there?"

"How about 1630?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Just one thing. No uniforms tonight." She smiled as she said it.

He smiled back at her. Sitting back in his chair, he went over the conversation in his head. What did she mean that she would do her cooking later? Who knows what Kathryn had planned! He would have to wait and see. The rest of the day passed faster than he thought it would.

Arriving back in his quarters, he took a nice hot water shower and picked out his clothes for dinner. As he dressed in gray pants and a blue shirt with gray trim, he wondered what she would be wearing. If she really wanted to surprise him, she could wear nothing. Now, that would not only surprise him, but it would make him extremely happy as well! He pictured her nude lying in his arms. Just thinking about her gave him a semi-erection. Gods! He loved that woman! She drove him crazy, but he still loved her deeply.

Arriving exactly on time, he entered her quarters carrying a bottle of wine and a peace rose. She was standing by the table, looking beautiful. She was wearing a dress in multihued shades of browns and black that buttoned down the front. The design was intricate as well as tasteful. She wore black slippers, and her hair was down around her shoulders. He stood staring for a couple of minutes. Then, walking toward her, he presented her with the rose. She took it from him as she reached over and kissed his cheek.

He began making dinner as she put the flower in a small vase with water. She already had the table set, so it wasn't long before they sat down to eat. They began the meal with salads. He had programmed a tangy tomato dressing. It was one that his mother always made for salad. That was followed by scallops in a tomato and cheese sauce served over linguine. With the linguine there was warm, crusty Italian bread with olive oil and spices mixed together for dipping.

"This is absolutely wonderful, Chakotay. I love everything!"

"This was one of my favorite meals at home. Of course, my mother made everything from scratch."

"Mine did too."

That was when she told him the story of going into town near their home and eating at Palutes where she could have a replicated meal. They laughed together at that. They sat and talked at the table for awhile before he got up and put the dishes in the recycler. He then went to the replicator and replicated a dessert of strawberry tiramisu.

They moved over to the sofa to eat it. As soon as she tasted the tiramisu, she declared it the best dessert she had ever eaten. Of course, it had coffee in it! She was sitting a little closer to him than normal. He wondered if he should move farther away or pull her closer and put his arm around her. As he was deciding what to do, she made the decision for him.

She put her plate down on the cocktail table and turned slightly toward him. Then she moved over very close and put her arms around his neck. Pulling his head down, she kissed him on the lips. He kissed her back. Their kisses soon became very passionate. He began caressing her body as she was doing the same to his.

He finally pulled back a bit. "Kathryn, are you sure? There can be no going back if we continue. I don't believe in one night stands. With me it has to be all or nothing."

"This is what I want now and forever. We have gone without each other long enough. It is time we became a couple. I love you, Chakotay. I have for years. You complete me as no other man has ever done."

"I love you too. You know I have wanted this for years as well."

He stood and gently picked her up. Carrying her to the bedroom, he noticed the covers were pulled down on the bed. He grinned to himself at that. She had been sure of herself and of him. Standing her beside the bed, he continued kissing her as he unbuttoned her dress thankful that the buttons were big. Slipping it off her shoulders, he planted soft kisses across her shoulders as the dress fell to the floor. When he finished undressing her, he stood back to admire the view. "You are lovely! Exactly the way I imagined you." He picked her up and placed her on the bed.

He slowly began to undress knowing her eyes never left his body. He heard her exhaled sharply as he removed his boxers. He lay down next to her and began to gently stroke her body as he continued kissing her.

Their lovemaking was slow, taking their time to savor each other.  
They spent most of the night just getting to know each others bodies and what the other liked best. They wanted this part of their lives together to be special.

Within the week, he had moved all his things into her quarters. They didn't need to make an announcement; the crew just seemed to 'know' that they had become a couple.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next morning after breakfast and his run, he settled into one of the dining room chairs and began to go through the next pile of papers and pictures. There was also another padd which was labeled 'Padd 2'. He would read it after he looked at the rest of the items in the pile. The first picture he picked up was of a smiling family taken at Starfleet. It was taken the day Kathryn's dad became an Admiral. The Admiral had his arm around his wife's waist. She was holding baby Phoebe who appeared to be sleeping. The Admiral was holding Kathryn's hand while she looked up at him with admiration. They seemed so happy in the picture.

The next picture was taken at Kathryn's tenth birthday party. She was surrounded by several girls all her age. Listed on the back were their names. She had that crooked grin on her face that he had seen so often. He wished that he had known her then. He bet that even then she was a force to be reckoned with.

Next were a couple of reports that she had written at school. Of course, on each the teacher's comments were praising her abilities. He read the first one and found it to be quite good. It was a science report. But, the second one was more than good, it was wonderful. It was about a vacation the family had taken to Oaxaca, Mexico and the fun she had there. She described in detail the town and the hacienda where they stayed. He could picture it in his mind. And, he made another mental note about checking out Oaxaca.

There were more awards including several for tennis which she had learned to play very well. An award for top honors in her class caught his eye; not because of the honor itself, but because of the unusual design of the award. _I got a lot of awards when I was growing up. I still have all of them. When I look at them now, I realize how hard I worked for them and all that I missed. I have always had this sense of trying to do my best no matter what! I'm not sure I would like that little girl now, Chakotay. Winning was all that mattered for a long time. That's not a life I would want for our child if we ever had one._

The rest of the items in the pile were mostly things she had saved from her classes. None were of real interest to him. They didn't tell of any surprises in her life. But, he read each and every one of them. Finally, after lunch, he settled down to read from Padd 2. He laughed at the first sentence he read. It was, "Sometimes I hate Hobbes Johnson!" Chakotay knew that Hobbes was Mark the man she nearly married. He continued to read. Kathryn's family was on Mars. She was with her best friends, Emma North and Mary O'Connell. She was trying to talk them into going swimming in the quarry and access the underwater cave systems. They were afraid and finally backed out on her. Hobbes was there and went with her. Unfortunately, she ended up saving Hobbes' life. Admiral Janeway caught them. Hobbes tried to take the blame. Admiral Janeway grounded Kathryn for the remainder of the vacation. She was angry at Hobbes for trying to take the blame. At the same time she vowed to explore the caves again.

Kathryn talked of another vacation they took at Lake George. She loved sailing there with her dad. It was seldom that he was with them anymore. He always seemed so busy. When he was home, he still seemed to be working most of the time. She resented that he had so little time for her.

Kathryn began having her periods right after that. She was disgusted with them. She didn't want to be bothered with things like periods. She couldn't believe how some of her friends always whined about having theirs.

She also mentioned going to Mexico again. This time the Janeway women went with Mrs. Jordan and her children. Kathryn always enjoyed playing with Tommy Jordan. The Jordans lived just up the road from them. She told of the days she spent with Tommy in the museums and shops of Oaxaca and how much she loved it there. She described in detail the scenery. It was much nicer and more quaint than Mexico City where they also spent a week.

She talked about several crushes she had in school. Nothing major until she met Cheb Packer. As he read this, Chakotay wondered why that name seemed so familiar to him. Before he read about Cheb, he made some lemonade. He took the padd and lemonade out to the patio. Sitting in his favorite lounge chair, he began to read. Just from the first few sentences, he knew he didn't like Cheb Packer. Kathryn had been attracted to Cheb from the start. He was not only good looking but had a wonderful intellect. She was amazed that he was even remotely interested in her. It was their senior year at the academy. The following year, if they passed the grueling Starfleet admittance tests they would be entering Starfleet as Cadets. They both were excited about it and spent a lot of time talking about it. Kathryn noticed over time that Cheb was much more of a dare devil that most of the other boys at the academy. He thought nothing of breaking rules if there was something in it for him. So besotted was she of him, that she often let him lead her into doing things against the rules. He taught her a lot, but unfortunately a good part of it was the wrong things. He had a silver tongue and usually managed to talk his way out of trouble. He had been the one to introduce Kathryn to sex. He had taught her to please him in every way, but he never pleased her in return. At night she would cry that he was that way. But, she couldn't bring herself to break up with him. They had taken their Starfleet entrance exams together, and he failed. He became more rude and nasty to her. Finally, she got up the courage to break up with him. She had been hurt terribly by him and vowed she would never allowed it to happen again with anyone.

The summer before, she entered Starfleet, once again the family went to Mexico. She raved about the place they were staying in Oaxaca and the art colony that was there. She enjoyed exploring all the shops as well as the country side. This time they didn't go to Mexico City at all. For that she was thankful!

That night after dinner, Chakotay sat on the porch swing staring out at the stars. He was thinking about their return home and all the things that happened right after the return. The crew was shocked to find that the stable wormhole led to the Alpha Quadrant. They would take it in just a couple of hours. They had already made contact with Starfleet and had let them know they would be coming home. Admiral Paris said there would be a fleet waiting to escort them home. All their worries about what would happen to the Maquis and the Equinox crew disappeared as Admiral Paris announced there would be no charges against anyone. Debriefings would be fast so that the crew could get on with their lives.

The last day of Chakotay's debriefing, he had received a message from Dorvan saying that his sister was very ill. He was asked to come as soon as possible as it didn't look good. After talking to Kathryn, he booked a transport to take him to Dorvan. They decided that after her debriefings finished, she would return to Indiana and wait for him. That night together had been a wild, wonderful night for both of them. Finally, near sunrise, they slept briefly, exhausted from a fantastic night of lovemaking. It was hard for them to part, but both knew he had to go. Soon they would be together again and would remain together forever.

The transport that was taking Chakotay to Dorvan was full, an odd mixture of men, women and children from a variety of races. Chakotay sat back in his seat deciding a nap was definitely in order, especially since Kathryn had managed to wear him out the night before. Soon he was asleep. Suddenly, Chakotay felt someone roughly shaking his shoulder. When he finally opened his eyes and looked around, he realized he was no longer on the transport. It looked like he and the others were in a cargo hold of some ship. Looking at the men, he recognized several as being on the transport. They talked among themselves, but no one knew anything. Apparently they had all been put to sleep with some kind of gas and woke up on this ship. After many hours without food or water the doors opened. In walked several men carrying compression rifles. The one in front appeared to be the leader. He spoke loudly and told them they were on a prison ship. They were all his prisoners and were being taken to a planet to live out their lives as prisoners working in the mines there. Once they arrived they would be given food and water. After saying that he turned and left not allowing any questions to be asked.

The life of a prisoner was not an easy one. And, gradually the men that were brought there began to die one by one. Each day they grew a little weaker. They were not treated as bad as they could have been, but something on the planet was causing them to weaken. Chakotay knew that he had little time left. He began to think more and more about the spirit world, and he was ready to go. His only regret was Kathryn.

One morning as he was just getting out of bed, he heard a loud commotion outside the barracks that held the prisoners. As he started to head for the door, it suddenly opened. Standing in the doorway was a Starfleet officer. Chakotay had just reached him when he fell to the floor unconscious.

The next thing he remembered was waking up in a sickbay on board a Starfleet vessel. A doctor sat at his bedside. It took the vessel three weeks to get the survivors back to Earth. All Chakotay could think about was seeing Kathryn again.

Finally the ship arrived at DS9. The survivors of the mining colony were still aboard. Chakotay was talking with one of them as he lay in his bed, when he saw a familiar figure walking toward him. He tired to get out of bed to stand but was unable. A hand was placed softly on his shoulder.

"It's alright, Chakotay. Don't try to stand. We can talk like this. There is much that we need to discuss." He nodded toward the man that Chakotay had been talking to. The man, who was able to walk, stood and moved away.

As he sat down, Chakotay spoke up, "Admiral Paris, I expected Kathryn to meet me. Why are you here?"

"Things have happened since you have been gone, Chakotay."

Chakotay's heart skipped a beat. Looking into the Admiral's face, he knew immediately something had happened to Kathryn. He barely spoke above a whisper.

"Tell me."

"After the transport that you were on disappeared, there was an attempt on Kathryn's life. With you missing and presumed dead and then when that happened, she decided to disappear. She resigned from Starfleet and taking Gretchen with her, she left. She had had enough. All, I can tell you is that as far as we know she hasn't left the planet. A false trail was put out by us to get the would be killers away from her. However, we have been unable to find out who they are, or if the attempt on her life had anything to do with the disappearance of the transport."

"It's hard to believe she would just resign and turn tail and run. That's not Kathryn!"

"No, it's not. I left one thing out. The attempt was also made on Gretchen's life. I think Kathryn realized that Gretchen was all she had left. I don't know if Kathryn will ever return or not."

"I intend to find her."

"Somehow or another, I believe you just may. For all it's worth, I hope you do. She loved you, and I know you love her."

"Just the thought of making it back to her is what kept me alive all this time. I refuse to give up now."

"If you need to use Starfleet's data banks or anything else, let me know. And, get in touch with Voyager's old crew. Maybe one of them knows more that we do."

Admiral Paris stood and they talked for a few minutes more. Finally they said their goodbyes. Chakotay lay back on the pillow exhausted. As he drifted off to sleep his thoughts were of her. "I'll find you, Kathryn. Somehow I will find you! I won't give up!"

He spent the next several years traveling everywhere he thought she might be, he talked to every one that knew Kathryn even remotely. No one had any idea where she and Gretchen had gone. In his heart, he knew that someday, somehow he would find them.

The next morning, Chakotay woke to the chirping of birds outside the window. He rose and made his way downstairs. Going into the study, he found his terminal blinking. It was a recorded message from Owen Paris. He had something he wanted Chakotay to see and asked him to come to headquarters as soon as possible. Chakotay contacted Owen's aide and made plans to arrive at Owen's office later in the morning.

He then made a call to Thomas Jordan. Thomas had promised to come over later that morning to repair Chakotay's back windows. Chakotay told him that he would be gone but would leave the back door unlocked. Thomas agreed to come over and begin the job before Chakotay got home.

After breakfast, Chakotay took his time dressing. Finally walking into the study, he transported to Starfleet. Walking into Owen's office, Chakotay saw him standing by the window looking out over San Francisco Bay. He stood waiting for Owen to turn as he had stood many times waiting for Kathryn to turn from the view port in her Ready Room.

Finally Owen turned. He was the consummate Starfleet officer. No emotion showed on his face. A sudden thought occurred to Chakotay. Kathryn had gotten her 'Captain's mask' from this man. He grinned at the mere thought of Kathryn.

Owen motioned for him to sit at his desk. Once he was seated, Owen moved to the other side of the desk and sat as well. He was not one to beat around the bush, so he got straight to the point.

"I want you to look at some pictures. Look carefully and tell me if you have ever seen any of them." He turned his computer monitor around for Chakotay.

The pictures went by slowly. Chakotay was a little surprised to see that the majority of the pictures were of Cardassians. Suddenly, he saw a Bajoran who seemed familiar.

"That one looks familiar."

"Think about where you may have seen him. What is familiar with him?"

Chakotay rubbed his face as he tried to think. He had met so many people over the years. He stared intently at the Bajoran. The Bajoran had a scar on his chin. Where had he seen that scar? Suddenly he sat up straight.

"In the camp….I saw him in the camp. He came there one day. He was with several other men. He was talking to some of the guards. He looked my way several times but said nothing. They gave him a tour of the place. That's all I remember. He was there just the one time."

"Ishmal Radvik….part Bajoran, part Teroson. Any of the others? Look closely?"

Chakotay continued to look, but didn't recognize any more. Finally, Owen turned the monitor around and typed something into the terminal. Turning the monitor around again he said, "Look closely."

Chakotay found himself looking at the man who had appeared in the cargo hold of the ship that took them to the mining colony. He looked at Owen in surprise as the man's features began to change into those of a Cardassian.

"Who?"

"Gul Hadrik. But, you might want to think of him as Seska's older brother."

"Seska!" Chakotay spat out. "Then, you think he did this all because of her. Do you think he's behind the attempt on Kathryn's life as well?"

"We don't know for sure. But, these men are all dead. They made the mistake of destroying another transport and taking their prisoners to the mining colony where we had waited for them. We believe he may not have known that Seska had been with you, but we don't know for certain. At this point that is all we know. If we find out anything more, I will contact you, Chakotay."

"I would hate to think that all those good people died because of revenge against me or Kathryn."

"Let's hope not. Have you learned any more about Kathryn's whereabouts?"

"Nothing, but I haven't given up hope. I discovered an old chest up in the attic. It is full of her things. I am hoping that something in it will give me a clue to her whereabouts."

After the meeting, Chakotay hurried to the transporter sight. He needed to get back to the house to help Thomas. Also, he enjoyed Thomas' stories of a younger Kathryn. Thomas was quite the story teller.

Arriving in his study, he stood on the transporter pad looking around. The room was in total disarray. His first thought was for Thomas. Was he there? A brief look out the window told him that Thomas' truck was parked there. He had to be around somewhere. A pain stabbed at Chakotay's chest. He had a strange feeling that he was not going to like what he found.

Running through the house, he found Thomas lying in a pool of blood on the back patio. As Chakotay knelt down, he saw that Thomas was still alive but barely. He held Thomas in his arms as Thomas' blood soaked his clothes. Thomas opened his eyes.

"Chakotay, Cardassian….he was Cardassian…looking for ….Kath…." His head fell to the side. Chakotay held him a few minutes longer as tears began to fall. This man should not have died. He had done nothing wrong. Gently he laid Thomas down and closed his eyes before he headed back to the study.

Soon the house was swarming with Fleet. They covered every inch of the house and all around it, looking for clues. Owen went into the dining room and looked at the mess. All the things from the chest were thrown all over the room. He saw Chakotay standing there and went to him.

"Ellington thinks the guy must have just missed you. Mr. Jordan must have surprised him. I'm sorry, Chakotay. I know he was your friend." He laid his hand on Chakotay's shoulder. Motioning to the mess thrown about the room, he asked "Is that the items from the chest you found in the attic?"

"Yes, I had them all sorted out into piles. At least he didn't destroy them. He just tossed them all over!"

Bending down and picking some papers up, Owen looked through them, "She was beautiful even as a baby. I remember the first time I saw her. Edward was so proud of her. He called her his Goldenbird!" Looking at Chakotay, he continued, "You'll find her. Don't give up hope!" Chakotay nodded, too choked to speak.

The next several days Chakotay spent cleaning up the mess in all the other rooms. Several of his friends had offered their help, but he had declined. He saved the dining room for last as it was the worst. Finally he was able to start cleaning in there. He took time to attend Thomas' funeral. Many people from the area attended as Thomas had been well liked by all.

It took nearly a week for Chakotay to straighten out the piles into some semblance of order. He also finished reading the rest of the papers. Kathryn's story seemed to end with her acceptance into Starfleet. Chakotay had hoped for more. Picking up a couple of the piles that had been in the chest on the bottom, he carried them up to the attic.

Kneeling down, he placed the piles on the floor next to the old chest. Gently he raised the lid. As he peered inside, he spoke aloud, "I had hoped that you would give me the clue that I needed. I have looked though everything that was in you and have found nothing. I guess I was searching for a miracle.

Hearing a noise above him, he slammed down the lid. He heard another noise as the lid closed. Finally, he figured out that the first noise was squirrels on the roof again. But, the second noise had come from inside the chest.

Opening the lid again, he peered inside. On the top of a small metal box that he had gone through lay a small padd. Taking a closer look at the lid, he saw that it was actually lined with a cotton material that had come unsown at a seam. The padd must have been in there.

His hand shook as he picked the padd up and activated it. He realized it was a letter addressed to him. It read:

_My Darling Chakotay,_

We were told that your transport was destroyed and all aboard was killed. My head tells me this is true, but my heart tells me otherwise. Once before we were declared dead but proved them wrong. I am hoping you will prove them wrong again!

Mom and I can't stay here. An attempt was made on our lives, and I believe there was another one before this but have no proof. I am leaving this padd in the old chest in the attic in hopes that someday you will return from the dead and find it. If anyone can find it, I'm sure it would be you!

Ever since I was a small child, our family spent time in Mexico - in Oaxaca near the Monte Alban Ruins. We will be going there. Oaxaca has an artist colony near the Ruins where we should blend in.

I will wait for you there no matter how long it takes. I love you more than anything. You are the other half of my soul, you complete me. I will dream of being in your arms each night. Hopefully, that dream will again come true.

Come to me, my darling. You are my reason for living. You are my sun, my moon, my stars above!

Hurry home to me!

All my love,

Kathryn 

By the time Chakotay finished the letter, tears of happiness were streaming down his face. She was there waiting for him. He needed to go to her immediately. Wiping his tears on his arm, he stood and hurried down the stairs. He had been going to check out Oaxaca during the following week end. But, now that he knew she was there, he couldn't wait.

Entering his bedroom, he grabbed his duffle bag from the closet and began filling it with clothes. The whole time he was doing it, his mind was racing. His heart was hammering away as well. It took him only minutes to pack but it seemed like hours to him.

Rushing down to the study, he turned on his terminal and called B'Elanna. She answered right away.

"Chakotay, what's up? You seem excited!" She asked as she saw the look on his face.

"I know where she is, B'Elanna. I am going to go to her now." There was no need to say who he was going after. B'Elanna would know that it could only be one person.

"Where?"

"I'd rather not say. But, I'll contact you soon. Okay?"

"You better! And, Chakotay, when you see her, hug her for us! Tell her we have missed her!"

"Will do. See you soon!" As the transmission ended, he sat back in the chair and smiled. He would soon be there. She was waiting for him.

He made one more call, this one to Ayala. Ayala knew something important was up when Chakotay began using an old Maquis code that they used often. Chakotay was positive there was someone watching his movements and perhaps listening in to his conversations. They made their plans carefully. Mike would do anything for Kathryn and Chakotay. He had become quite friendly with Gretchen upon Voyagers return and missed the easy banter they had between them. Finally Chakotay pushed back the chair and stood. Walking over to the transporter pad, he put in the coordinates that he had already given Ayala and stepped onto the pad. Ayala would be in Mexico as well. Chakotay had this feeling that another of Seska's brothers or a friend of theirs would be tailing him. He needed Ayala for a backup. Ayala was good at tracking and remaining out of site. He would have Chakotay's back.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

He had transported to the transport station nearest the artist's colony. As he stepped out of the station, he looked around. People were milling about everywhere. He began to walk not certain where to go. The artist's colony was made up of many small shops and cafes as well. He stopped in several and showed the sales people Kathryn's picture. A few said they had seen her before but had no idea where to find her. He refused to give up. Somehow he would find her.

Tiring, he walked over to a sidewalk café and sat down outside. He ordered a salad and ice tea as the day was quite warm. As he sat eating he thought back over their time together. Kathryn was a delight to be with. She enjoyed life so very much. She was warm and very passionate. As he looked around, he found it easy to picture her here among these people. She claimed she wasn't an artist, but he knew better. She had done several paintings on Voyager, more than one had been of him.

It was late afternoon but he decided to check out a few more shops before finding a hotel. He stood and stretched before taking his duffle bag and headed across the street to an art gallery. A painting in the window caught his eye. The painting was simply called "The River". The scene looked like the river scene on New Earth. There was even the large flat rock partly in the water where he and Kathryn had eaten many of their meals. The painting was signed K. Goldenbird. His heart skipped a beat. He knew then that the painting was hers. Looking to the right of the painting his eyes widened. There in a beautiful golden frame was a painting entitled "Angry Warrior". His face looked back at him complete with the tattoo. The warrior, in a very small loin cloth stood on a small rise looking out over the land; bronzed skin and a powerful, muscular frame made him look like a lithe and powerful male in prime condition. He smiled and wondered if Kathryn saw him that way.

Walking into the shop, he eyed a lady busy at a counter trying to frame a painting. She was certainly one of a kind. She must have been around seventy or perhaps a little older. She had dyed bright red hair that stood out in all directions. She wore a ton of makeup and even more jewelry. She didn't notice him approach the counter. Standing before her, he made a small noise. Looking up, she looked startled and blinked the longest fake eyelashes he had ever seen!

"Oh, my! The…the …angry warrior! You're for real! She said you were! Oh, and every bit as good looking as the paintings! She is such a good painter, you're perfect. Did she ever tell you that? Perfect!" She walked around the counter and stood looking him up and down. Licking her lips, she then smiled. "Yes, sooo overwhelmingly sexy!"

"I just wish I could get her to part with those two paintings in the window. I have been offered fantastic amounts of money, but she will only let me display them. Her other oils are for sale though. Perhaps, you could pose for me sometime. I will make it worth your while, anything you want! Anything!" She winked her eye suggestively. Then laughing she said, "Boy, I enjoyed doing that. But, to tell you the truth, I know you're taken. She loves you so very much."

"How do you know?" Chakotay raised a 'Tuvok eyebrow'.

"The paintings! The ones of you! They're painted with shear love! I've been around paintings all my life. I can tell! Yes, you're one lucky couple! Now, I suppose you want to know where they are." As he nodded, she walked back around the counter and pulled a sketch pad and charcoal from underneath. She quickly began to draw the directions. "You could call her, but I suppose that's not how you want to do it anyway. It takes about twenty minutes to get there. The house sits surrounded by trees. Hard to see from the road. As you can see, this bush is unusual, turn on the dirt road next to it. It leads to the house."

"Thank you, thank you so very much!"

"No, no! Thank you! It isn't every day I get to meet a man like you! Tell her I said hello!"

He turned and left. Half way down the street, he realized they had not even exchanged names. Well, Kathryn could tell him about her. A strange person but one he could really like! As he left the artist's colony, he saw that the houses were few and far between. Finally coming upon the bush, he stopped. It was the only one like it around and was very unusual. He would have to ask Kathryn what type it was.

Turning onto the dirt road, he began to walk a little faster, eager to meet his destiny. The road curved and dipped gracefully as the trees and bushes began to stand closer together.

As he came around one curve in the road, he saw ahead of him a lovely white cottage. He smiled knowing he was near the end of his journey. Walking on, he was suddenly attacked by someone coming out of the bushes.

Looking down he saw a child, who looked about five or six years old, with her arms firmly around his legs. She had long red hair done into a French braid and as she looked up at him, he noticed the blue eyes and a sprinkle of freckles across her cheeks. She looked exactly like the pictures of Kathryn taken at that age except, despite the freckles, her skin was a bit darker. As she smiled a toothless smile, he saw the dimples and knew in a flash this child was his.

Kneeling down if front of her with tears in his eyes, he gently touched her cheek.

"Hi! I'm Taya!"

"Hi, Taya, I'm…"

"Daddy! You're my daddy." She stood still for a moment as he looked at her stunned. She suddenly wrapped her arms around him and held on as tightly as she could. "Mommy said that our angry warrior would someday come. Are you angry any more, Daddy?"

"No, Taya, not any more!" he managed to choke out. He had tears in his eyes. Taking her hand, he rose. "Let's go see Mommy." As they walked up to the house, he continued to look down at his daughter. His heart swelled with pride to know this special child was his.

Taya led him around the house to a lovely patio. Kathryn was kneeling tending some flowers with her back to them.

"Mommy, I brought the angry warrior! Mommy!"

Kathryn turned and saw him for the first time in seven years. She dropped the trowel she was holding and stood up. She was trembling and tears were running down her cheeks as she ran to him and flung herself into his waiting arms. While they were holding each other tightly, Taya slipped into the house to tell her grandma the good news.

"I knew you would come someday! I dreamed of you every night, but here lately the dreams have been even more vivid that usual."

"I've been searching for a long time. I've been living in Indiana in your old house. I…I…found the chest. I finally found the padd. But, most of all, I found you and a little surprise I didn't know about!"

"Yes, mom and I call her our little whirlwind!"

"She certainly is! She's wonderful, Kathryn. So perfect!"

"Thank you!" She reached up and pulled his head down to hers and their lips met in the most passionate kiss they had ever had - a kiss that held so much promise of the future. Finally, pulling away, she put her arm around his waist and led him into the house.

Chakotay sat at the kitchen table with Kathryn while Gretchen and Taya made dinner. He would look at first Kathryn and then Taya, barely able to keep his eyes off either. He was almost afraid that it was a dream. Kathryn's hand was on the table and his covered it. He could feel the warmth and softness there.

After dinner they sat talking for some time. Finally, Kathryn told Taya to take food out to the stray cats that she had been feeding. Taya got up from the table and got the food together. Chakotay watched her movements, so fluid like those of a dancer. He smiled remembering Kathryn had wanted to be a ballerina at that age. He watched as Taya carried the food out the door. Then he turned to Gretchen.

"Thank you, Gretchen for taking such good care of them! Taya is a real joy!"

"You're well…." Before she could finish, they heard Taya screaming from the patio. They all jumped up and ran to the door. Outside was a man, a Cardassian, holding Taya under his arm with her arms and feet dangling beside him. She was trying to hit out at him but was having no effect. Gretchen hurried to the counter and took a phaser from the drawer. Hurrying back to the patio where Chakotay and Kathryn were now standing, she slipped the phaser into Chakotay's hand.

"Who are you? What do you want with her?" Chakotay asked.

"I am Murek, younger brother of Seska. I have come for revenge. You two killed my sister, I will kill the child."

"You know we can't let you do that. We never killed your sister. After she betrayed us, she was killed in a fight between the Kazon and the Talaxians. We had nothing to do with it.

"Look, your sister is dead and so is your older brother. Isn't it time to let things go? Killing Taya is not the answer."

"My brother is not dead. You lie!"

"Yes, he is dead along with the rest of the group that was kidnapping people from transports and then destroying the transports. They were caught on the mining colony. There is none of them left."

Suddenly, Murek stumbled backwards over one of the cats. As he tried to regain his balance, he let go of Taya who took off running into the bushes. Murek turned toward her to fire his phaser, when there was a sudden phaser blast and he fell to the ground.

Kathryn and Gretchen looked at Chakotay. They knew he had not fired the weapon Gretchen had given him. He nodded toward the bushes as Mike Ayala stepped out. Mike walked over to Murek's body to check on him. He shook his head indicating Murek was dead.

Stepping over Murek's body he walked toward the three standing together.

"Guess I'm a little late for dinner."

Kathryn burst into tears and threw her arms around Mike. "You'll never be too late here."

Chakotay called for Taya to come out of hiding just as the local authorities came out of the bushes. Mike pulled away from Kathryn. "The Calvary is here. I contacted them." He turned and walked over to the one officer. They talked briefly as the others watched. Finally Mike turned back.

"Chakotay, our plan worked. I picked his trail up at the art colony station. He must have been somewhere near your house hiding. Looks like he just had the transporter take him to where you had set the coordinates. I've been following him all day as he followed you. Darn! Did you have to walk all over town? You wore me out." He looked over at Gretchen and grinned, "Gretchen, any dessert left?"

"For you, Mike, I'll give you a whole meal." Gretchen laughed as Mike put his arm around her shoulders. As they headed into the house, the rest followed.

Later Chakotay tucked Taya into bed.

"Tell me the story about the angry warrior, Daddy."

Before he had even finished it, she was asleep. He pulled the sheet up around her and kissed her cheek. Rising from the bed he turned and saw Kathryn standing in the doorway. He walked over to her and put his arm around her. Kissing the top of her head, he began walking her to their bedroom.

Mike and Gretchen sat at the kitchen table playing poker. As Gretchen laid down a royal flush, she looked up at Mike, "For the first time in seven years, all is right with the world!" He nodded his head slowly as he smiled in agreement.

The End


End file.
